Clinical and demographic profile of nephrotic syndrome in a rural tertiary care center

Abstract

Background: Nephrotic syndrome is a common renal disease in children, associated with high risk of death, most commonly from infections, if not identified and treated promptly. It is a disease that not only affects the physical health but also psychology of the child and that of the family and there is lack of information on nephrotic syndrome in children in a rural setup. Methods: This hospital based observational study was conducted from September 2020 to December 2021, in department of pediatrics in KIMS, Narketpally. A total of 40 eligible children diagnosed with nephrotic syndrome between 3 months to 12 years were taken up for this study. Detailed information of the patient, including thorough history, clinical examination, investigations, response to treatment and complications of the disease were recorded in a pre-designed proforma and the data was analyzed. Results: It was observed that out of 40 subjects, the most common age group affected was 6-9 years (42.5%), majority of which were male children (72.5%). Most common presenting symptom was edema seen in 100% patients, followed by oliguria in 50%. Most common complication noted was ascites (62.5%) followed by hypertension (42.5%). UTI was observed in 52.5% of cases. 75% of the patients were newly diagnosed and 25% were relapses. Conclusions: In the present study, clinical and demographic profile of nephrotic syndrome was congruent with nephrotic syndrome in children in other studies. The response to treatment and associated complications did not differ significantly in a rural center when compared to other studies.